Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the medical condition which affects the joints of a person. The presence of osteoarthritis in a person is identified by the cartilages getting damaged, the development of bony growths at the joints’ edges and the development of synovitis which is a very mild inflammation of the joint tissues.

People above the age of fifty are more subjected to this condition. But osteoarthritis is found in young people due to some injury that affects the joints or any other condition of the joints.

Even though there is no cure available for this condition, the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis can be soothed using medicines.

Symptoms

The symptoms that characterise the presence of osteoarthritis in a person are stiffness of the joints, which worsens in the mornings, pain in the joints as well as difficulty to move the joints.

The symptoms develop gradually over a period of time. A few other symptoms characterising the presence of osteoarthritis are tenderness of the joints, an increased level of stiffness and pain, if the joints remain immobile for a short time, knobbly appearance of the joints, the joints seem to be larger than usual, a crackling sensation of the joints associated with a grating sound, restricted movement of the joints, wasting and weakness of the muscles as well as warmth in the joints.

Causes

Osteoarthritis is a gradual process of wearing and tearing of the joints. This is known so because the time taken by the body to repair the tissues that have suffered some injury if very long.

If a joint suffers from an injury and the body has a weakened repair system, then the person will start experiencing the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

The factors that may contribute to the development of osteoarthritis are any diseases or injuries that may affect the joints like presence of rheumatoid arthritis. A person who has the family history of osteoarthritis is likely to develop this condition. If a person is obese, then he is subjected to the risk of developing osteoarthritis.

Treatment

Osteoarthritis cannot be cured completely. Only the treatment which is given helps only to ease the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis. But if the person suffers from a very mild osteoarthritis, then the person may not require treatment.

The following treatments are available to soothe the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis:

Use of painkillers or analgesics will help to get relief from the pain associated with osteoarthritis. But the person must be careful while using the different analgesics.

Use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs is advised in cases where the pain is so severe that it cannot be controlled using an analgesic. One can use topical NSAID creams in the joints where pain is felt for reducing the swelling and pain.

Use of opioids is considered only in extreme cases of pain being felt. But using opioids can cause side effects like constipation, nausea and vomiting.

Use of Intra-articular injections is advised if the person is affected by severe arthritis.

The other treatments available are Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, thermotherapy, manual therapy and use of assistive devices.

The final option available is the surgical procedure which may be Arthroplasty, Arthrodesis or Osteotomy.